Desperately trying to stay in the hunt in the competitive Big East, the Georgetown softball team (19-27, 3-9 Big East) split a pair of games with Providence (15-29, 5-9 Big East) Saturday afternoon.

Freshman pitcher Lauren O’Leary started the first game of the doubleheader for the Hoyas and recorded eight strikeouts over seven innings for a complete game.

Still, the Friars were the first team on the board when they scored in the third inning. After O’Leary walked Providence sophomore left fielder Marie Flego, the following batter, senior center fielder Michelle Huber, doubled to right field, pushing Flego to third. She scored on the next batter’s RBI pop-out to right field.

While the Blue and Gray out-hit the Friars on the afternoon, 10-9, they were unable to drive in a single runner. Because Georgetown left 11 runners on base, Providence did not have to score base runners either and only drove in three for the 3-0 win.

But the Hoyas rebounded quickly in game two of the doubleheader and scored two runs right out of the gate in the bottom of the first. After a quick first out, sophomore left fielder Taylor Koenig singled to left to reach base. Next at the plate was junior catcher Shikara Lowe, who hit her fifth home run of the season to give the Hoyas an early 2-0 lead.

“We swung the bats very well in both games,” Head Coach Pat Conlan said. “Overall, I thought we had a great offensive day.”

Later in the first inning, senior right fielder Cara Savarese singled up the middle, but the Hoyas couldn’t take advantage. Savarese went 3-for-3 on the day and was named to this week’s Big East weekly honor roll.

“Cara has had a great season and career for us,” Conlan said. “She has played consistently and always seems to come up with the big hit in the clutch.”

Savarese credited some adjustments to her style of play for her strong performance.

“I’ve been working a lot this season on staying relaxed and trusting my hands at the plate, and it has been helping me lately,” Savarese said.

The rest of the game proved largely uneventful, as the only runs all game came in the first inning.

With Sunday’s series finale with the Friars cancelled, the Hoyas have now won three of their last four conference games – the team’s only three league wins all season.

“With the way we have been playing lately, I think [our final] games will be close ones,” Savarese said. “If we play our game and stay loose, we should continue improving and come out with a few wins.”

Next up for Georgetown will be Villanova. The teams are set to clash twice Wednesday afternoon in the final home games of the Hoyas’ season.

Seniors Savarese and Mackensey Carter will be honored before the first pitch against the Wildcats, which is set for 2 p.m. at Guy Mason Field.